Mulling box



Patented Dec. 28, 1926.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GILES W. O. MARTIN, OF WEST MEDFORD, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR T0 AMERICANSHOE MACHINERY COMPANY, OF EAST BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION 0FMASSACHUSETTS.

MULLING BOX.

Application led September 18, 1925. `Serial No. 57,242.

My present invention relates to the working of leather, and moreparticularly to an improved process and apparatus for treating leatherprior to and during the utilization of such leather in the manufactureof articles therefrom.

My invention is particularly applicable to the treatment of leather,such as sole leather, in the manufacture of turned shoes, in which shoesit is, of course, essential that the sole portion be rendered extremelyflexible in order that the turning operation be economically and quicklyperformed. In the preparation of leather, such as soles, for use in turnshoes, it has been necessary to repeatedly subject the sole tothesoftening influence of a liquid such as water. Although subjected Atorepeated soaking in water, yet it has been found that the sole does nottake up enough water, or the sole is not impregnated to a great enoughdepth and consequently the moisture retained on what is practicallythe-surface of the leather is quickly evaporated, leaving the leather ineven worse condition than it was before the soaking operation.Consequently, in the manufacture of turn shoes, it is vnecessary tosubject the sole to a number of soaking operations and, just before thesole is lasted into the shoe, puts the sole through, in addition to thesoaking operation, a breaking operation which renders the leatherflexible for a short period of time, usually long enough so that thesewing operation may take place and the shoe then turned. The breakage,because of imperfectly flexed soles, is, however, very high.

1n my present 'invention I have obviated the objections to prior methodsIof processing the leather and have devised a process which consists insubjecting the sole leather to a humidifying step which renders the soleflexible enough to have performed thereon the usual steps such asrounding and channelino' etc., that take place prior to the breakingoperation. After the rounding, channell ing, etc., operations have takenplace, l preferably send the soles through the Basler tempering machinesuch, for example, as disclosed in the patent to George Basler, PatentNo. 1,036,061 bearing the patent date of Aug. 20, 1912, and after thesoles have passed through this machine, and the excess of moisture4drained ofl', the soles are again placed in my improved humidifying boxand kept there until the time for placing the same on the shoe to belasted. I find that, by the use of my apparatus and my improved process,the soles are in the best condition for performing the variousoperations and, unless the leather itself is defective, there is nopossibility of breakage during the turning operation.'

The principal object of my invention, therefore, is an improved processfor tenipering leather.

Another object of my invention is the improved apparatus forconditi'oningvor tempering leather. f

Other objects and novel features of the construction and arrangement ofparts comprising my apparatus will be apparent as the description of theinvention progresses.

In the accompanying drawings illustrating the preferred embodiment of myinvention,

Fig. 1 is a plan view;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation, partly in section; i

Fig. 3 is an end elevation, partly in section, andv Fig. 4 is anenlarged detail sectional elevation of a modification of the moisteningmeans illustrated-in the remaining figures of the drawings. s

Referring to the drawings, 1() designates a boxor other suitable watertight enclosure provided at its upper open end with a substantial rim11, this rim at one side thereof being provided with a plurality ofpairs of hinged lugs 12. The number of pairs of hinged lugs 12-may be asmany as `desired Y and depends on the size of the unit compartments tobe employed and bythe 'overall length of the box or other enclosure 10.rFhe rim 11 is provided with transverse bars 13 acting to subdivide thebox into a plurality of chambers equal in number to the number of pairsof hinged lugs 12. To each pair ofl lugs 12 is hingedly mount-cda cover14, each cover extending forwardly over the top of the rim 11 andadapted to be engaged by a spring locking clip 15 riveted to the frontwall of the venclosure 10. Between the under surface of the covers le.and the upper surface of the edges ofthe rim 11 and transverse bars 13is arranged a layer of iibrous material 16 such, for examplmas felt, Thebox or enclosure 10 is subdivided into a plurality of compartments equalin number to the pairs of hinged lugs 12 and the covers 14 by transverseWalls 17, the upper edge of these Walls being secured to the undersurfaceV of the transverse bars 13 and to the bottom of the box 10, asclearly shown in Fig. 2. Secured to the inner face ci the end Walls ofthe box 10. and extending transversely or' such box is a bar or ledge 13which lies in the same horizontal plane as similar bars19 secured toeach face of the partition 17. Resting on the bars 13 and 19 are plates2O ot course cmistruction, suc-l1 as plates of Wire mesh, and the plates2O act as the bottom or supporting surface or'. material holdingchambers.

One end of the walls of the box 10 is provided With preferably a pair otperforaticns 21, such perforations being parallel toeach other andlocated adjacent to the bottom of the box 10. Also the partition Walls17 are provided with like perfor-ations in alignment, With` theperforations 20 and. these perforations inthe partition Walls 17 areadapted to receive the cylindrical members 22 ot' asbestos, felt, or anysuitable librous and porous material, it being, understood thatl theperfor-ations 21 in the end Walls are provided for the purpose ofYinserting the cylindrical members 22 Withinthe box 10. Tn addition tothe materialv surrounding the perforaticns in the partition Walls 17acting as a support for the cylindrical members 22, such cylindricalmembers are further; supportedby blocks 23 of Wood or other suitablematerial. Eachy of the perforations 21 is closed. by a cylindrical plate24, such plate being secured to the end Wallgof the box 10 in anysuitable manner. Each of the cylindrical members 22 has inserted;therein throughout substantially their entire length a U-shapedpipe 25,one leg of the pipe, and preferably thefupper leg, being providedalongits top with aV plu.- rality ofperforations 26. This upper leg ofthe Urshaped'pipe 25 is long enoughto extend* outward through theperforation in the cylindrical cover 24 and is connected to a U-shapedpipe 27, this pipe, as clearly. seen in Fig. 1, also connecting the tWoU-shaped pipes25 shown. To the central portionv of the U-shaped pipe 27is connected alriser 23 connecting With the bottom of a reservoir 29supportedon a bracketv 30that is secured by riveting or otherwise to theend` Walls of the box 10, This means consists inthe substitution for thecylindrical member 22v of. fibrous material a porous por-celain,tube 32,this tube being closed at one end, as indicated by the reference numeral33, and is provided with a plug 34: at itsv open end.` The tube; 32 issupported by one or more plugs 35, as clearlyshovvn. Passing through theplug or cork 34; is a pipe 36 which connects with the interior of thetube 32 and also With the U,-shaped pipe 27., Tn this form of theinvention it is dcsigned to have the tube 32 iilled at all times WithWater or other moistening iiuid and this fluid is kept underA pressurebythe column otftlui'd in the reservoir 30. I

My improved apparatus is constructed as above described and, inutilizing this apparatus to practice my, improved process, themoistening tluid is placed in the reservoir 30 and such fluid1 passesthrough they Ufshaped pipe 27 and, into either the U-shaped pipe 25 or2,6, into the cylindrical member 22 of fibrous material, or into thetube under pressure where it isiprCed. out through the porous porcelaintube 32 andy is evaporated from the` outer surface of such. tube by theair WithinI the box, 10. Tn utilizing the apparatus, I may pile in thevarious compartments Within thebox 10 ay pile of soles 37 closelyadjacent to one another and iu.-

stacked relation or may utilize the baseboard 3Shaving extendingupwardly therefrom a plurality ot parallelly arranged and spaced pins`39, thecspacebetvveemadjacent pins heing filled; by theysoles 37. Ineithery event, the various compartments Within.the box 10 are filledWithl soles 37, the coversyltv shut onto the rim 11 and heldiin. theclosed posi' tion by the latchl15', andthe moisture con.

cient, to allovv the various operations ot rounding, channeling, etc.,to be per-formed on the soles to the best advantage. After thesenecessary steps in preparing thek sole il have been performed, the solesare put througha tempering machine, such as is rcierred toabove, theproper amount of Water allowed to flow into the machine, excess umoist-ure drainedy oli', and' the soles. again placedin the box 10 orcovered With a Wet; cloth and mulled for an hour or more or untill inthe desired; temper. Thesoles are then put through the breakingVopera-tion,

shellacled and theedges dyed if necessary, i andv areireplacedgin thehumidor and sealed,l

ent means in said casing, and means for feeding liquid thereto.

2. An improved leather conditioning device comprising e box-like casing,means for subdividng the box-like casing into a plurality of separatechambers, means for closing each chamber independently, and a pluralityof absorbent Ineens in said casing, and means for feeding liquid theretounder pressure.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

GILES W. O. MARTIN.

